Display rack



Oct. 1s, 1.938. D, NDA 2,133,925

DISPLAY RACK Original Filed Nov. 4, 1955 Patented Oct. 18, 1938 DISPLAY RACK Donald J. Randall, Los Angelcs, Calif.; Marguerite Randall, special administratrix of Donald J. Randall, deceased, assignor to Jesse Price, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application November 4, 1935, Serial No. 48,141 Renewed March 16, 1938 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a display rack and more particularly pertains to display racks of the type embodying pivotally mounted brackets on which articles to be displayed may be suspended.

An object of the invention is to provide a display rack of the above character including a plurality or multiplicity of pivoted brackets arranged to swing horizontally, in which means are provided whereby either a pair of adjacent brackets, or a series of consecutively arranged brackets, may be swung collectively through the manipulation of one or more 'of the brackets, and which means is so constructed as to maintain contiguous brackets of a swinging group of the brackets in spaced parallel relation to each other.

Another object is to provide a spacing means between adjacent swinging brackets which, while functioning to maintain adjacent brackets spaced 20 apart, will afford no positive connection between adjacent brackets, whereby contiguous brackets may be independently moved away from each other without manipulation or detachment of the spacing means.

A further object is to provide a display rack of the above type and embodying the features above referred to which comprises few parts adapted to be economically manufactured and readily assembled, and in which the parts are so formed and arranged as to facilitate increasing and decreasing of the number of display units employed in a group thereof.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the display rack as seen from the upper side thereof;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 as seen in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a view in section and elevation as seen on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a detail in end elevation depicting the spacing member as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrow 4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the spacing member showing it as detached;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the rack illustrating the manner whereby groups of the brackets may be swung collectively relative to other groups thereof, with adjacent brackets of a swung group maintained in parallel relation to each other.

Referring to the drawing more specifically A indicates a bracket carrying rail which may be of any suitable construction, being here shown as comprising a channel iron, which rail is designed to be mounted to extend horizontally on any suitable support such as a wall, standard, or the like. Pivotally mounted on the rail A is a series of display brackets B of any suitable 10 number, each of which embodies a horizontally extending supporting rod 1 having an inner end portion 8 extending downwardly through aligned openings 9 formed in the marginal flanges of the rail A; the end portion 8 being turnable in the openings 9 to afford a pivotal connection between the rod 1 and the rail.

Extending parallel with the rod 1 is a link 10 having an inner end portion ll of which is bent downwardly and outwardly into hooked engagement with an opening l2 in the upper flange 9 of the rail A. The outer ends of the rod 1 and link I0 are pivotally connected to a spacing bar C; the rod 1 having an upturned outer end portion I4. which extends into asocket 15 in an inverted thimble l6 formed on one end of the bar C, and the link Ill being formed with an upwardly and outwardly extending end portion I! having hooked engagement with an opening l8 formed in the bar C intermediate the ends of the latter. 30

In carrying outthe invention the pivotal connections'between the inner ends of the bar and link with the rail A are spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing of the pivotal connection between the outer ends of the rod and link with the bar C, and the rod and link are of corresponding lengths whereby the bar C will extend parallel with the supporting member A and will be maintained in such parallel relation at all times on swinging the bracket assembly just described.

In carrying out the invention a plurality of the bracket assemblies are provided on the rail A with adjacent brackets spaced a suitable distance apart and with the rod 1 of one assembled unit spaced from the link ID of the adjacent unit. As a means for limiting movement of the outer ends of adjacent brackets toward each other the spacing bar C is formed of a length to protrude beyond its connection with the link l0 so that its outer end will afford an abutment against which the inner end of the spacing bar on an adjacent bracket may contact; the protruding end portion of the spacing bar being of such length that when seated against the inner end of an adjacent spacing bar the contiguous rod 1 and link ID of adjacent bracket assemblies will be spaced in parallel relation to each other. As here shown the outer end of the bar C is formed with an upturned flange 19 to afiord ample bearing surface.

The -spacing bar C is preferably formed of a sheet material stamping as particularly shown in Fig. 5, but manifestly may be of any suitable construction.

It will now be seen that when a seriesof the bracket assemblies are provided on the rail A and disposed with the spacing bars C of adjacent assemblies abutting against each other as shown in Fig. 1, the rods 1 of adjacent brackets will extend in parallel relation to each other, and that the spacing bars will at all times be positioned to align with each other throughout the range of movement of the brackets.

When it is desired to separate one bracket assembly from another such may be readily accomplished by merely swinging the outer end of a selected bracket assembly in either direction which may be efiected at any desired point along the lengthof the rack since by swinging any one bracket in the series in either direction the consecutively arranged brackets aligned therewith from the side thereof in the direction of movement willbe swung collectively as shown in Fig. 6 where the lower pair of brackets are depicted as swung to separate an adjacent pair of brackets. A particular advantage in this arrangement resides in the fact that regardless to what extent any-of the brackets are swung all the adjacent brackets .of a series may be disposed in parallel spaced relation to each other, or in other words, be prevented from being brought into contact with-each other.

It is manifest however that any number of brackets in a group may be disposed at various angles relative to each other on spacing the adjacent ends of thespacing bars apart, and whereby a single bracket may be positioned to extend at right angles from the supporting rail A while the brackets or groups of brackets on opposite sides .thereof may be extended at oppositely inclined directions in relation thereto.

The display rack thus formed is especially adapted for use in efiecting the display of ourtains and other sheet materials, which may be draped over the rod 1 or otherwise suspended therefrom. Likewise clothing may be mounted on the brackets, either directly or suspended from clothing hangers attached to the brackets in the usual manner. Assembly of the bracket units .is easily accomplished by merely inserting the ends 8 of the rods 1 in the opening 9, hooking the ends of the links into engagement with the rail and spacing bar, and seating thethimble IS on the outer ends of the rods 1.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction shown but may employ such changes and modifications as occasion may require coming within the meaning and scope of the appended claims:

I claim:

1. In a display rack, a rail, a series of brackets mounted to swing horizontally each of which includes a rod pivoted on said rail, a link pivoted on said rail extending parallel with said rod, a spacing bar connecting the outer ends of said rod and link; and an extension on said spacing bar arranged to cooperate with an adjacent bracket to limit movement of contiguous brackets toward each other.

2. In a-display rack, a horizontally extending rail, a series of rods pivotally carried on said rail to swing horizontally, spacing bars carried on the outer ends of said rods, and links pivoted to said rail and to said bars arranged to maintain said bars parallel with said rail throughout swinging movement of the adjacent rods and links connected to said spacing bars.

.3. In a display rack, a horizontally extending rail, a series of rods pivotally carried on said rail to swing horizontally, spacing bars pivotally carried on the outer ends of said rods, and links pivoted to said rail and to said bars, each of said links being arranged to maintain the bars connected thereto parallel with said rail throughout swinging movement of the adjacent rod and link connected to said spacing bar, each of said spacing bars having a projecting outer end portion protruding beyond the connection of the link therewith to afford an abutment for limiting movement of adjacent rods toward each other and to prevent said rods from moving against each other. a I a 4. In a display rack, a horizontally extending rail,.a series of rods pivotally carried on said rail to swing horizontally each of which is formed with an upturned outer end portion, a spacing bar carried on the outer end of each of said rods formed with a socket in which the upturned end of its associated rod extends in slidable engagement therewith, and links pivoted to said rail extending alongside said rods having their outer ends pivotally connected to said bars in longitudinal spaced relation to the connection of the outer ends of the rods therewith; said spacing bars having projecting end portions protruding beyond the connection of the links therewith to afiord an abutment to limit swinging movement of an adjacent rod in one direction and to prevent adjacent rods from moving into close proximity to each other.

DONALD J. RANDALL. 

